Table tennis table

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a table tennis table comprising a lower frame and two playing surface boards. Said lower frame comprises vertical struts which are used as carrier elements and are arranged opposite each other along the width of the table tennis table, in the central region of the same, and vertical guiding means on which guiding elements pertaining to fixing units applied to the playing surface boards can be moved upwards and downwards, in such a way that the playing surface boars can thus be transferred from a first position, in which the playing surface boards are vertically oriented and the guiding elements are arranged in a lower position, to a second position, in which the playing surface boards are horizontally oriented and the guiding elements are arranged in an upper position, the guiding means being embodied on the vertical struts used as carrier elements.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a table tennis table comprising a lowerframe and two playing surface boards, the lower frame comprises verticalbraces which are used as support elements and lie opposite one anotherover the width of the tennis table, in the middle area of the tabletennis table, and vertical guide means on which guide parts pertainingto mounting units which are attached to the playing surface boards canbe moved up and down so that in this way the playing surface boards canbe transferred from a first position in which the playing surface boardsare vertically aligned and the guide parts are located in the lowerposition, into a second position in which the playing surface boards arehorizontally aligned and the guide parts are located in an upperposition.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A table tennis table of the aforementioned type is known from DE299 01 458 U1. The table tennis table described in it can be moved outof a transport position in which the playing surface boards arevertically aligned into the playing position by folding the playingsurface boards out of the vertical position into the horizontalposition. Furthermore, the table tennis table has roller base unitswhich are located in the middle area and with which the table tennistable can be easily transported in the transport position. In addition,this table tennis table also has static braces which can be folded out,which are encompassed by the lower frame, and which can additionally besupported by transverse braces.

[0003] In table tennis tables from the prior art it has been found to bedisadvantageous that the vertical guide means are made as vertical guidetubes which are made separately. This construction is relatively complexand in terms of production engineering is associated with thecorresponding costs.

[0004] The object of this invention is to devise a table tennis table ofthe initially mentioned type which has a simpler structure and which canbe more economically produced.

[0005] This is achieved as claimed in the invention by the guide meansbeing made on the vertical braces which are used as support elements.Separate guide tubes can be saved by this measure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Here the vertical braces can have an essentially U-shaped orC-shaped cross section. The U-profile or C-profile of the verticalbraces can be produced for example as a simple bent sheet metal part sothat the manufacture of vertical braces is made extremely economical.Furthermore, the inside movable parts of the vertical guides can becovered to the outside toward the user by the U-profile or C-profiles ofthe connecting braces so that on the one hand there is greater safety inoperation and on the other an extremely attractive appearance can beaccomplished.

[0007] In particular the cross section of the vertical braces can eachhave a U-shaped leg and an outer leg which extends essentiallyvertically away from it, and the outer legs on their ends facing awayfrom the U-shaped leg can have a turned edge. Here the turned edge canextend leg vertically away from the respective outer leg. The turnededges can extend from the outer legs away from one another or toward oneanother.

[0008] As claimed in the invention, it is furthermore provided that theguide part has at least one contact section which adjoins one of theside surfaces of one of the outer legs. The construction as claimed inthe invention on the one hand offers the advantage that based on theU-shaped or C-shaped configuration of the vertical braces sufficientstability is ensured. On the other hand, the outer legs of the verticalbraces can be used as contact surfaces for the corresponding contactsections of the guide parts.

[0009] According to one preferred embodiment of this invention, theguide parts can each have two contact sections which adjoin the opposingside surfaces of one of the outer legs. In this way reliable verticalguidance of the guide parts is achieved.

[0010] Advantageously, the guide part can encompass the turned edge ofthe corresponding outer leg. This results in that even under a strongexternal load the dynamic connection between the guide part and theouter leg of the guide part cannot be pulled off from the outer leg. Inthis way it can be ensured that even in a case of improper handing ofthe folding mechanism of the table tennis table the guide part cannot bepulled off the corresponding outer leg of the vertical brace.

[0011] It can be provided as claimed in the invention that one guidepart of one mounting unit at a time can engage each of the outer legs ofthe two vertical braces. Furthermore, the mounting units can eachcomprise one attachment part which is mounted on the bottom of one ofthe playing surface boards.

[0012] Preferably the vertical braces are each mounted on a connectingbrace which can connect to one another the individual roller base unitswhich are located next to one another.

[0013] Advantageously it can be provided that the table tennis table onthe inside of each of the vertical braces in its lower area has asupport means on which the inside end faces of the playing surfaceboards can be supported in their vertical positions, the support meansbeing made preferably as a support angle which is attached to thevertical brace. This supporting means results in that when a force isapplied from overhead to the playing surface board which is in thevertical position or the playing surface boards which are in thevertical position, it is not the guide mechanism, i.e. especially notthe mounting units with the guide part, but the support means which isloaded so that damage to the guide mechanism can be for the most partprevented by the support means.

[0014] According to one preferred embodiment of this invention it ispossible for the table tennis table to comprise furthermore on each ofthe vertical braces two upper and two lower safety levers which arepivotally located on the vertical braces and have locking surfaces whichin the first position of the safety levers enable the guide part orparts to be moved up and/or down and which in the second position of thesafety levers prevent the guide parts from moving up and/or down. Thesafety levers can prevent the table tennis table which is in thevertical position from being folded unintentionally out of this positionor a table tennis table which is in the horizontal position from beingunintentionally folded up.

[0015] Preferably it can be provided that on the upper safety leversthere are actuating levers for swivelling the safety levers, the uppersafety levers and the lower safety levers being connected to one anotherso that swivelling motion of the upper safety levers causes acorresponding swivelling motion of the lower safety levers, theconnection between the respective upper and lower safety leverspreferably taking place via a transmission rod which is alignedessentially vertically. By connecting the upper and the lower safetylevers the lower actuating levers can be saved so that the user,especially by actuating the more ergonomically arranged upper actuatinglever, can also fold the playing surface boards out of the verticalposition into the horizontal position.

[0016] Advantageously it can furthermore be provided that the uppersafety levers are connected to one another on each of the verticalbraces by a spring means so that when the actuating lever is notactuated the spring means swivels the upper safety means into theposition in which the locking surfaces prevent the guide parts frommoving up and down. By providing these spring means the operating safetyof the table tennis table as claimed in the invention is furtherincreased because when the actuating lever is not actuated the tabletennis table is automatically in the state in which the playing surfaceboards cannot be folded.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Other features and advantages of this invention become apparentbased on the following description of preferred embodiments withreference to the attached figures.

[0018]FIG. 1 shows a side view of one embodiment of a table tennis tableas claimed in the invention with playing surface boards which have beenfolded up on one side;

[0019]FIG. 2 shows a perspective detailed view of the table tennis tableas shown in FIG. 1;

[0020]FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross section through a vertical brace ofthe table tennis table as shown in FIG. 1;

[0021]FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view from the inside to the verticalbrace of the table as shown in FIG. 1;

[0022]FIG. 5 shows a schematic side view from the inside to one verticalbrace and parts of the construction of another embodiment of a tabletennis table as claimed in the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] As is apparent from FIG. 1, the table tennis table as claimed inthe invention comprises two playing surface boards 1 which can consistfor example of wood, aluminum or plastic and which can be folded upseparately from one another. The playing surface boards 1 are held bymeans of a lower frame 2 which is encompassed likewise by the tabletennis table as claimed in the invention either for transport or aresupported in the horizontal position for playing.

[0024] The lower frame 2 comprises on the one hand in its outer areas,i.e. on the end faces of the playing surface boards 1, vertical staticbraces 3 and furthermore roughly in the middle area four roller baseunits 4 which each consist of two wheels and are each connected in pairsto a connecting brace 5 which extends from the roller base units 4 adistance up and then which runs horizontally. The lower frame 2 thuscomprises two connecting braces 5 which are located roughly in themiddle on the opposing sides of the table tennis table. From theconnecting braces 5 two vertical braces 6 extend upward and support theplaying surface boards 1 in the middle area of the table tennis table inthe position of use in the manner which is detailed below.

[0025] To better stabilize the playing surface boards 1, the lower frame2 furthermore comprises in the conventional manner transverse braces 14which are coupled to the connecting braces 5, the static braces 3 andthe bottoms of the playing surface boards 1.

[0026]FIG. 3 shows the vertical brace 6 in a section. The vertical brace6 has essentially a U-shaped or a C-shaped cross section with a middleU-shaped leg 7 which passes on its two ends into the outer legs 8 whichextend essentially vertically away from the U-shaped leg 7 and to theinside in the direction to the opposing vertical brace 6. The outer legs8 on their ends facing away from the U-shaped leg 7 have a turned edge 9which extends essentially vertically away from the outer legs 5 and inthe installation position of the vertical brace 6 to the outside, i.e.to the end faces of the playing surface boards 1. But as claimed in theinvention it is also quite possible for the turned edge 9 to extend tothe inside so that the two turned edges 9 extend toward one another.

[0027] The guided mounting units 10 interact with this essentiallyU-shaped or C-shaped vertical brace 6, of which units two at a time arelocated in the area of the lower inner sides of the playing surfaceboards 1 facing one another. The mounting units 10 on the one handcomprise an attachment part 11 which is screwed for example under theplaying surface board 1. On the other hand, the mounting units 10comprise a guide part 12 which each extends around one of the outer legs8 together with the turned edge 9 which is located on it. In particular,the guide part 12 has two contact sections 13 which adjoin the sides ofthe corresponding outer legs 8, which sides lie opposite one another.Based on the fact that the turned edge 9 is surrounded by the guide part12 at the same time, the mounting unit 10 is reliably attached to thevertical brace 6.

[0028] In order to fold one of the playing surface boards 1, for examplethe playing surface board 1 which is shown on the right in FIG. 1 or inFIG. 2, out of the vertical position into the horizontal position, byapplying a force to the upper end of the playing surface board 1 to theright in FIG. 1 the guide part 12 of the mounting unit 10 is moved up onthe outer leg 8 of the vertical brace 6. If the guide part 12 hasreached the upper edge area of the vertical brace 6, the playing surfaceboard 1 is in the horizontal position of use.

[0029]FIG. 4 schematically shows the inside of one of the two verticalbraces 6. FIG. 4 furthermore shows the two guide parts 12 which canslide up and down on the two outer legs 8 and on the turned edge 9 ofthese outer legs 8. Furthermore, FIG. 4 shows that on the vertical brace6 there are two upper and two lower safety levers 15, 16. The safetylevers 15, 16 are used to prevent unwanted movement of the guide parts12 up or down.

[0030] The two upper safety levers 15 are attached in the area of oneaxis 17 of rotation to the vertical brace 6. From the axis 17 ofrotation there extends one leg of the upper safety lever 15 upward, thisleg having on the end side on the one hand an actuating lever 18 and onthe other hand a locking surface 19 which can be placed against or whichadjoins the leg 8 of the vertical brace 6. For the safety lever 15 whichis the left one in FIG. 4, the locking surface 19 adjoins the leg 8,conversely for the safety lever which is top right in FIG. 4 the lockingsurface 19 is swivelled away from the leg 8 so that the guide part 12which is attached to the right leg 8 and the edge 9 which is connectedto it can slide down past the locking surface 19. Conversely, one guidepart 12 which is attached above the left upper safety lever 15 cannot bemoved down as a result of the locking surface 19 which is in contactwith the outer leg 8.

[0031] To release the movement of the guide part 12 down the user canmove the actuating lever 18 to the inside, which lever, as is apparentfrom FIG. 2, projects through openings to the outside in the verticalbrace 6 and thus can be grasped from the outside. For example, thesafety lever 15 which is top left in FIG. 4 could be swivelled aroundthe axis 17 of rotation a distance clockwise by moving the actuatinglever 18 to the right such that the locking surface 19 is swivelled awayfrom the leg 9, as is shown in FIG. 4, top right, for the upper rightsafety lever 15.

[0032]FIG. 4 furthermore shows that the two lower safety levers 15 areconnected to one another by means of a spring 20. This spring 20 engagesa second leg of the safety lever 15 which extends down from the axis 17of rotation. The springs 20 cause the two second lower legs of thesafety levers 15 to be pulled toward one another after the actuatinglever 18 is released by the user. By pulling the lower legs toward oneanother in this way, at the same time the upper legs of the safetylevers 15 are moved to the outside away from one another. In this waythen the locking surfaces 19 are moved into contact with the outer legs8. By providing the springs 20 the movement of the guide part 12 down isautomatically prevented by the locking surface 19 which adjoins theouter leg 8. This blocking by the locking surface 19 can be purposelycancelled by the user by moving the actuating lever or levers 18 to theinside. The locking surfaces 19 are attached to the safety levers 15such that even by the additional action of a force on the guide parts 12for example by applying pressure to the playing surface boards 1, thelocking surfaces cannot swivel to the inside, because the guide parts 12rest on the locking surfaces 19 in the area which lies farther to theoutside or nearer on the legs 8 than the axes 17 of rotation of thesafety levers 15, which axes are located somewhat farther down. In thisway, using simple means the upper positions of the guide parts 12 andthus of the playing surface boards 1 are reliably secured.

[0033]FIG. 4 furthermore shows that the lower safety levers 16 arelikewise attached in the area of the axes 21 of rotation to the verticalbrace 6. From these axes 21 of rotation one leg of the safety lever 16at a time extends down and ends in the locking surface 22. The lockingsurface 22 on the left side of FIG. 4 in turn adjoins the outer leg 8and thus prevents movement of the guide part 12 up in FIG. 4. Thelocking surface 22 on the lower right side in FIG. 4 is swivelled awayfrom the outer leg 8 so that the guide part 12 which is locatedunderneath the safety lever 16 could be guided upward past the safetylever 16. The locking surfaces 22 and the safety lever 16, like thelocking surfaces 19 of the safety levers 15, are located farther to theoutside or nearer on the legs 8 than the corresponding axes 21 ofrotation so that by the action of force on the guide parts 12 theycannot be moved up at the locking surfaces 22 which adjoin the legs 8.

[0034]FIG. 4 furthermore shows that the upper and lower safety levers15, 16 which are located on one side are connected to one another by atransmission rod 23. This transmission rod 23 engages the lower leg ofthe upper safety lever 15 or the upper leg of the lower safety lever 16,which upper leg extends up from the axis 21 of rotation. Thetransmission rod 23 ensures that by moving the actuating level 18 notonly the corresponding upper left or right safety lever 15, but also thelower safety lever 16 which is connected to it via the transmission rod23 is swivelled according to the movement of the actuating lever 18. Forexample, by moving the actuating lever 18 of the upper left safety lever15 to the right in FIG. 4 the attachment point of the transmission rod23 to the safety lever 15 could be moved up. In this way however theattachment point of the transmission rod 23 to the lower left safetylever 16 is also moved up and to the left in FIG. 4, by which the lowersafety lever 16 is swivelled counterclockwise so that the lockingsurface 22 is moved away from the leg 8. The end position of thisswivelling motion is apparent on the right side in FIG. 4, where boththe actuating lever 18 of the top right safety lever 15 is movedentirely to the inside or to the left, and also the two locking surfaces19, 22 of the right safety levers 15, 16 are swivelled away from the leg8.

[0035] By actuating the actuating lever 18 thus both the upper and alsothe lower corresponding safety lever 15, 16 which is located on thisside can be swivelled such that movement of the guide part 12 isreleased.

[0036] The actuating levers 18 which are opposite one another are notconnected to one another so that for folding one playing surface boardthe actuating levers 18 which are opposite one another must be actuatingin succession.

[0037]FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the table tennis table asclaimed in the invention. In this further embodiment, instead of aconnecting brace which extends a distance upward and then runshorizontally there is a connecting brace 24 which extends onlyhorizontally. This connecting brace 24 is attached directly to thevertical brace 6 which extends upward from it. Furthermore, FIG. 5 alsoshows at least in part the safety levers 15, 16 and the transmission rod23 which connects them. The upper safety lever 15 is shaped somewhatdifferently than the one shown in FIG. 4, but functionally it has thesame structure.

[0038] In addition to the elements which are shown in FIG. 4, theembodiment shown in FIG. 5 has a support means 25 which is made as asupport angle, which extends to the inside, which is attached to thevertical brace 6 in the lower area, and which has on its top two supportcushions 26 for supporting the inner end faces of the playing surfaceboards 1. The support angle results in that when a force is applied tothe playing surface board 1 which is in the vertical position (see rightside in FIG. 5) from overhead, it is not the guide mechanism, i.e.especially the mounting units 10 with the guide part 12, but the supportangle which accommodates this force so that the guide mechanism cannotbe damaged. This support angle can of course also be used in theembodiments as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 as claimed in the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A tennis table comprising a lower frame and twoplaying surface boards, the lower frame in the middle area of the tabletennis table over the width of the table tennis table comprisingvertical braces and vertical guide means which lie opposite one anotherand which are used as support elements, on which the guide parts can bemoved up and down by mounting units which are attached to the playingsurface boards, so that in this way the playing surface boards can betransferred from a first position in which the playing surface boardsare vertically aligned and the guide parts are located in the lowerposition, into a second position in which the playing surface boards arehorizontally aligned and the guide parts are located in the upperposition, characterized in that the guide means are made on the verticalbraces which are used as support elements.
 2. The tennis table asclaimed in claim 16 wherein the vertical braces have an essentiallyU-shaped or C-shaped cross section.
 3. The tennis table as claimed inclaim 2, wherein the cross section of the vertical braces can each havea U-shaped leg and an outer leg which extends essentially verticallyaway from it, and the outer legs on their ends facing away from theU-shaped leg have a turned edge .
 4. The tennis table as claimed inclaim 3, wherein the turned edge extends vertically away from the outerlegs.
 5. The tennis table as claimed in claim 4, wherein the turnededges extend from the outer legs away from one another or toward oneanother.
 6. The tennis table as claimed in claim 3, wherein the guidepart has at least one contact section which adjoins one of the sidesurfaces of one of the outer legs.
 7. The tennis table as claimed inclaim 3, wherein the guide part has tow contact sections which adjointhe opposing side surfaces of one of the outer legs.
 8. The tennis tableas claimed in claim 6, wherein the guide part encompasses the turnededge of the corresponding outer leg.
 9. The tennis table as claimed inclaim 6, wherein one guide part of one the mounting units at a timeengages each of the outer legs of the two vertical braces.
 10. Thetennis table as claimed in claim 16, wherein the mounting units eachcomprise one attachment part which is mounted on the bottom of one ofthe playing surface boards .
 11. The tennis table as claimed in claim16, wherein the vertical braces are each mounted on a connecting bracewhich connect the roller base units to one another.
 12. The tennis tableas claimed in claim 16, wherein the table tennis table on the inside ofeach of the vertical braces in its lower area has a support means onwhich the inside end faces of the playing surface boards can besupported in their vertical positions, the support means being madepreferably as a support angle which is attached to the vertical brace .13. The tennis table as claimed in claim 16, wherein the table tennistable furthermore comprises on each of the vertical braces two upper andtwo lower safety levers which are pivotally located on the verticalbraces and have locking surfaces which in th first position of thesafety levers enable the guide part or parts to be moved up and/or downand which in the second position of the safety levers prevent the guideparts from moving up and/or down.
 14. The tennis table as claimed inclaim 13, wherein on the upper safety levers there are actuating leversfor swivelling the safety levers, the upper safety levers and the lowersafety levers being connected to one another so that swivelling motionof the upper safety levers causes a corresponding swivelling motion ofother lower safety levers, the connection between the respective upperand lower safety levers preferably taking place via a transmission rodwhich is aligned essentially vertically.
 15. The tennis table as claimedin claim 13, wherein the upper safety levers are connected to oneanother on each of the vertical braces by a spring means so that whenthe actuating lever is not actuated the spring means swivels the uppersafety means into the position in which the locking surfaces prevent theguide parts from moving up and down.
 16. A table tennis table,comprising a first playing surface having a first side, a second side, afirst end and a second end, a first vertical support brace attached tosaid first playing surface, a second playing surface having a firstside, a second side, a first end and a second end, a second verticalsupport brace attached to said second playing surface, the first playingsurface second end placed proximate to said second playing surfacesecond end, a vertical brace next to said first playing surface and saidsecond playing surface, said vertical brace having a middle leg, a firstouter leg and a second outer leg, a first guide part attached to andextending from said first playing surface, said first guide partcontacting said first outer leg, a second guide part attached to andextending from said second playing surface, said second guide partcontacting said second outer leg.
 17. The table tennis table of claim16, wherein said first outer leg and said second outer leg areperpendicular to said middle leg.
 18. A table tennis table comprising:two playing surface boards and mounting units which are attached to theplaying surface boards and which comprise guide parts, a lower framewith vertical braces which are used as support elements and lie oppositeone another over the width of the table tennis table in the middle areaof the table tennis table, and vertical guide means, being embodied onthe vertical braces, on which said guide parts can be moved up and down,so that in this way the playing surface boards can be transferred from afirst position in which the playing surface boards are verticallyaligned and the guide parts are located in the lower position, into asecond position in which the playing surface boards are horizontallyaligned and the guide parts are located in an upper position, each ofsaid vertical braces comprise at least one U-shaped portion with aU-shaped horizontal cross section comprising an inner leg and two outerlegs extending perpendicular from the inner leg, each of said guideparts interacts with one of said outer legs of said at least oneU-shaped portion and has a contact section which contacts the outsidesurface of said outer leg.
 19. A table tennis table comprising: twoplaying surface boards and mounting units which are attached to theplaying surface boards and which comprise guide parts, a lower framewith vertical braces which are used as support elements and lie oppositeone another over the width of the table tennis table in the middle areaof the table tennis table, and vertical guide means, being embodied onthe vertical braces, on which said guide parts can be moved up and down,so that in this way the playing surface boards can be transferred from afirst position in which the playing surface boards are verticallyaligned and the guide parts are located in the lower position, into asecond position in which the playing surface boards are horizontallyaligned and the guide parts are located in an upper position, each ofsaid vertical braces comprise at least one U-shaped portion with aU-shaped horizontal cross section comprising an inner leg and two outerlegs extending perpendicular from the inner leg, each of said guideparts interacts with one of said outer legs of said at least oneU-shaped portion, each of said guide parts has a first contact sectionwhich contacts the outside surface of one of said outer legs and asecond contact section which contacts the inside surface of one of saidouter legs.
 20. A table tennis table comprising: two playing surfaceboards and mounting units which are attached to the playing surfaceboards and which comprise guide parts, a lower frame with verticalbraces which are used as support elements and lie opposite one anotherover the width of the table tennis table in the middle are of the tabletennis table, and vertical guide means, being embodied on the verticalbraces, on which said guide parts can be moved up and down, so that inthis way the playing surface boards can be transferred from a firstposition in which the playing surface boards are vertically aligned andthe guide parts are located in the lower position, into a secondposition in which the playing surface boards are horizontally alignedand the guide parts are located in an upper position, each of saidvertical braces comprise at least one U-shaped portion with a U-shapedhorizontal cross section comprising an inner leg and two outer legsextending perpendicular from the inner leg, each of said guide partsinteracts with one of said outer legs of said at least one U-shapedportion, each of said guide parts has a first contact section whichcontacts the outside surface of one of said outer legs and a secondcontact section which contacts the inside surface of one of said outerlegs, said U-shaped horizontal cross section of the at least oneU-shaped portion does not change in the vertical direction.